PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2414, 20 March 1915, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

February 15, that is to say the date of the beginning of the series of important successes by the Allies at their centre in France, is Btated to mark the real .beginning of the campaign of • 1915. The Spring, in which big things were to happen, has arrived. The _purpose of _ the Allies, we are told, as to maintain a constant pressure on the enemy's lines in order to institute a wearing down process whioh will exhaust both their men and their munitions of war. To be able to carry out this plan implies that tho Anglo-French-Belgian forces now outnumber tho Austro-Gcrman forces in the West, and it also suggests what has been fairly clear for some time past that the Germans are running short of war material owing mainly, no doubt, to the blockade of their ports. Tho movements recorded to-day denote further successes by the Allies, but the most significant message is that which states that their successes indicate something more than yards of ground gained—t-hey_ indicate an increasing moral superiority. This means that the French are more confident than tho enemy; they have faith in their ability to beat him, and in consequence they fight the better, and the harder, and with greater enthusiasm and dash. The French soldier attuned to his task, having faith in his leaders and inspired by patriotic ardour, is an offensive fighter of the finest quality, ready to dare anything, and excelling especially in dashing undertakings involving hand-to-hand fighting. * * .* * The Allied Fleet in the Dardanelles flppcars to be about to venture on some decisive .step in connection with the forcing of tho narrowest portion of the waterway. It is mentioned to-day that the passage at tho point reached (it is there onlv about one mile wide) is defended by concealed batteries and torpedo tubes, which, of course, makes it a very risky business for any warship to attempt to pass at- the close range necessitated by j-lic restricted waterway. The cruiser Amethyst, which took this risk a. few clays ago, did so no doubt with a view to forcing the enemy to discloso the full extant of the defensive preparations. It was a daring exploit, happily carried through with comparatively small loss. It is quito another thing, however for a fleet to get through, and ore this enterprise is carried to a successful conclusion we must expect to suffer more heavily than we have yet done in '.his quarter. * . * A TGnßinr.R story is told _ by the British lied Cross Commissioner in Servia. In the greater struggle elsewhere, Sorvia's gallant light against the armies of Austria has not been fully recognised; but this little country has fought heroically and suffered almost beyond belief. The appeal for help, backed us it is by tho stur.y of the horrible sufferings of l;be helpless wounded, who are without doc-tors or nurses, calls for rccpuiisc (rom the bisper Towers iinlit-

ing on the sicle of Servia, and no doubt it will be forthcoming. « * * * It must strike most people who have been following the overtures which are being muck; by Germany to secure the neutrality of Italy, that the Italians will be on very dangerous ground should they be simple enough to place any reliance on any undertakings entered into by Germany. What guarantee can Italy possibly have that any agreement arrived at with Germany will be kept or any promise fulfilled 1 We are told to-day that Prince von Buelow has given Italy assurances that Germany will be able to overcome resistance on the part of Austria to ceding territory to Italy. What value are such assurances? Did Germany pay any heed to her signed pledges where Belgium was concerned 1 Have her rulers been bound by one single obligation which conflicted with the military requirements of the German commanders or was in any way antagonistic to the plans or ambitions of the German Empire 1 Is not the very fact that even in making this proposal to Italy to sacrifice her ally, Austria, to the needs of the moment an evidence in itself of the readiness of Germany to betray and sell even her friends'! It is inconceivable that Italian statesmen are blind to these things. The name of Germany today stinks in the nostrils of the whole world as a nation with which no covenants are binding, and which holds sacred nothing which stands in the way of its ambitions. Is there any nation_ in the world to-day that would willingly accept Germany's pledged word and regard it as a binding bond ? * a * * So far as can be gathered from the messages which have reached us, Austria resents strongly the idea that she should sacrifice any of her territory to placate Italy. For many years past there has been a slumbering resentment in Italy against the overbearing aggressiveness of her big neighbour; a sentiment which has been accentuated by the increasing menace of Austrian naval development in the Adriatic. Moreover, Italy wants the Austrian ports and the adjacent territory at the north-east corner of the Adriatic, and Austria has known this, and in turn has resented it. The two countries, though bound by a defensive alliance, have long been distrustful of-one another, and Italy, as the weaker Power, has lived under the shadow of a menace which could never be quite lost sight of. There is little likelihood of any satisfactory arrangement being come to between Italy and Austria. * * * * The picture conjured up by the story from Basle concerning the condition of the Dreadnoughts of the German fleet must bo taken too seriously. The first line of fighting ships of the Kaiser's navy have no doubt been idle enough so far as venturing out to fight is concerned, but the idea, that they have been allowed to lie in port with their boilers_ rusting, their crews absent; and their big guns removed to Belgium sounds a little too tall. 'It is also a flight of imagination, we should imagine, to suggest that the preparations now afoot—whatever they may be—are the outcome of the Kaiser's determination to give the British Fleet a fair fight in the North Sea. The German fleet is not at' all likely to take any risks of this nature. When it strikes, if it ever strikes at all, it will be when it thinks it has the British Fleet at a disadvantage; and there is not a shadow of evidence to suggest that anything has happened to lead the German Admiralty to believe that anything of this nature has occurred, or is within measurable distance. Also, it is safe to say, that when Germany does intend to strike with her fleet there will be no preliminary warnings from Basle or anywhere else. * » * * There is just a hint to-day from Egypt concerning our Expeditionary Force. The official correspondent with the Australian Contingent tells us of the improvement in the military efficiency of our troops, who are in consequence having easier times than at the outset, and there is also a gratifying reference to the' good impression they have created.'